By Mabinty M. Kamara
After cries and attempted protests by Sierra Leonean students studying in the Russian Federation, the Embassy in Moscow has confirmed receipt of payment of allowances for the 2021/2022 academic year for all students studying in the Federation.
“Consequently, payment to all students commences from Monday 15th August to Friday 19th August 2022 between the 11:00 -16:00 hours daily. All students are therefore requested to come to the embassy for their stipends at any time within the aforementioned date and time,” a statement from the embassy reads in part.
It further requested that all the students are expected to submit their 2021/2022 academic year progress report before receiving their stipends, noting that it is a directive from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education here in Sierra Leone.
In his reaction to the notice of payment of their 2021/2022 academic year allowances, the Secretary General of National Students in the Russian Federation, Alhassan Bangura said they were happy about the news of the payment of their allowances, saying that it was all they wanted and not to cause any havoc for the government or the embassy in Moscow through their peaceful demonstrations.
However, he pleaded with the government for timely payment of the stipends for the 2022/2023 academic year so that they can be left with some cash, saying that the current allowance when received will be used mostly to pay bills and offset loans that they had already collected from their friends, and will be left with nothing.
“We are also pleading that allowances should always come on time so that students can pay their bills and have enough funds for food, and be focused on their studies,” he emphasized.
Bangura in an interview with Politico last week noted that they had wanted to protest after several engagements with the embassy officials so they could notify the government that they were yet to receive allowances for the 2021 academic year.
“We are supposed to be receiving these allowances in September of every year, before the start of the Academic year as we have to pay for accommodation, medical insurance, visa renewal, books, internet, food, transportation, etc.”
The Embassy in their statement to condemn the then proposed protest noted that since strike actions staged by students were always marred with disorderly behavior, they immediately contacted the law enforcement agency through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia to be aware of it.
The press statement reiterated that the Government of Sierra Leone was not abandoning its obligations of paying stipends to students or buying tickets for those that have completed their studies.
But it stated that the process of disbursement of stipends to students is to be undertaken by ‘professionals and other line ministries and that they were working on it.
It added that the situation was not limited to their students in Russia but that it was the same with all Sierra Leonean students on scholarship abroad.
The Sierra Leonean Students leader in Pakistan Abu Macavoray told Politico that they were yet to receive notification from the embassy in Iran but that they were hopeful of receiving their own soon, saying that things were already very difficult for them.
“We heard that they have started paying students in other countries. I contacted the Secretary and the Chancery in Iran but they told me to hold on so they will make some inquiries,” he said.
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